Proficiency and Cognitive Strategy Use of Year One and Year Two Children when Writing Alphabet-Letters and Sentences.

Abstract

Handwriting difficulties are a common reason for referring children to occupational therapy. Presently, there is limited information on the impact of alphabet knowledge, orthographic knowledge, and cognitive strategy use on handwriting performance and mastery. A greater understanding of these variables may help guide occupational therapy practice.

This research was carried out in two studies. Study One used a single-system design to examine the impact of a novel handwriting program on ten children in Year 1 or Year 2 who had handwriting difficulties. The program provided simultaneous instruction on correctly writing alphabet-letters and sentences and effective cognitive strategies. Study Two investigated how accurately mainstream children in their first two years of formal education could write lowercase alphabet letters, a sentence, and apply cognitive strategies while handwriting. Study Two employed a cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative design. The outcome measure employed was the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis (Stage One) and (Stage Two).

The results of Study One found that all ten children could write the 26 lowercase alphabet letters from memory in an average of nine hours of intervention, achieved 80% accuracy in writing a self-generated sentence, and demonstrated improved application of cognitive strategies while writing. Study Two found that Year 1 and Year 2 children, on average, could accurately write 8-13 lowercase alphabet letters; 20% of Year 1 and 40% of Year 2 children’s handwritten sentences were readable; and children with difficulty with handwriting alphabet letters and sentences showed limited cognitive strategy application compared to proficient peers. Inefficiencies in applying cognitive strategies, particularly those related to remembering, planning, and perceiving, concurred with errors in handwriting for early learners. Recommendations for handwriting assessment and intervention are provided.